Device for Input to a Screen

ABSTRACT

A working glove ( 1 ) has a finger-tip ( 3 ) for an index finger with a round surface ( 2 ) on the top. The round surface is supported by a detail, at least partly, made out of a polymer attached to the finger-tip ( 3 ) of the working-glove ( 1 ). The working-glove ( 1 ) enables a user, such as a worker at a ware-house, to perform an input of a user interaction to a touch screen without having to remove the glove or having to try to grip a peripheral, such as a stylus. With previous known gloves this is a particular problem at ware-houses with freezing temperatures, such as in the food-industry and at distribution centers of freezed food. The invention has advantages such as that the risk for erroneous input is reduced, the work efficiency increases, and valuable time is saved in the transition between packing and entering user interaction to the touch screen.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention at hand relates to peripherals and methods to use such aperipheral, such as a stylus or keyboard, for input of user interactionwith a unit having a data processing capability, such as a server, apersonal computer, a hand held computer or a mobile phone. In particularthe invention relates to such peripheral which is intended for users ina ware-house, stockroom or similar.

BACKGROUND ART

There are several known peripherals for input of user interaction with aunit having a data processing capability. An example of such aperipheral is a mouse, a track-ball with buttons or a touch pad. Anotherexample of a peripheral for user interaction is a stylus, such assimilar to a pen or other object, used for user interaction on a touchscreen. A touch screen may in this context have multiple areas withdifferent functionality. For instance, one area may primarily be usedfor input by pressing or touching the screen and another area may beused for writing characters by means of a stylus or other object.

WO2004031933 describes a stylus-operated graphical user interface for acomputer, which includes a sensing surface having an area correspondingto a data input field.

Input to a touch screen is common to certain applications. One suchapplication is at a stock-house or ware-house where the device with dataprocessing capability is intended to be used for communication with, forinstance, computerized warehouse systems or logistic systems, whichhandles different kind of goods or products. Such goods or products maybe placed in a package such as a card-board box, a package, a parcel orsimilar. A user, such as a truck driver or a worker, may have a task toretrieve a pack list or check handled packages on a display. A commonused peripheral in such an application is a stylus shaped as a pen madeout of a hard polymer. Such type of stylus is common for input throughtouch screens to devices such as hand held computers and to somecellular phones.

There are a number of problems relating to the use of the previousmentioned stylus used at a stock-house, ware-house or similar. Oneproblem is that such stylus is difficult to handle for a user withgloves. Working gloves are often used to protect the user's hands, suchas a worker handling packages. The larger the number of possible userinteractions, the greater the problem is. The smaller the area for inputof the touch screen is, the greater the problem is. With increasedinsulation/padding of the gloves the stylus becomes more difficult tohandle for the user. To overcome the problem the user often removes aglove. This implies that with the mentioned stylus, time is lost thatotherwise would be used to pack and handle packages. This is due to thatthe user removes and puts on the glove at input to the device. The timethat on an annual basis is lost is substantial. For the owner or theoperator of the stock-house, ware-house, or similar, this corresponds toa substantial cost.

A particular problem arises at stock-house or ware-house with a lowtemperature or a freezing temperature where gloves, due to thetemperature, must be insulated/padded and due to that fairly thick. As auser repeatedly removes the glove, the user gets cold hands and fingersmuch faster than otherwise. In such a case the risk for input errorsincreases. As the user's hand gets cold, there is an increasedprobability that the user handles packages or goods in a destructivemanner, such as dropping packages or goods. In order not to remove theglove some users solves the mentioned problem by keeping the glove anduse the glove covered index finger for input. In such a case a problemis that the area on the touch screen intended for input is relativelysmall. It is then easy to perform incorrect input as the fairly thickglove is kept on. Another remaining problem is that certain type ofinput requires that graphics, for instance characters or numbers, arewritten on the touch screen, which is not possible wearing the glovewithout using the stylus.

In a stock-house or ware-house it is common to position a unit with adata processing capability or communicates with such a unit, such as aterminal, on a truck or at a wall at a package handling station. A userat a handling station for instance a worker handling packages or goods,moves around in areas remote from the device while handling packages orgoods. For instance, after packing a pallet or cage with packages orgoods the user signs off a bill of material by means of the unit. Aproblem is where to keep the stylus between the occasions of user input.A solution to the problem is to place an attaching element, such as acramp, at the unit. A remaining problem is that the user regularly dropsthe stylus to the floor. The floor may have bars through which thestylus disappears. Another way of handling the problem is to attach thestylus to a string, for instance with a mechanism with a yo-yo function.This decreases the risk that the stylus disappears. However, the userwill still drop the stylus from time to time, which not only means thatthe user gets distracted but also to loss of packing time. It has alsobeen seen that in practice a string often is snapped off.

EP1405161 describes a computer input device on a glove, which includesfittings for a user's fingers and adjustable straps for fastening to auser's wrist. A tracking device for controlling cursor movement on avideo display is affixed to the glove for positioning next to the end ofone of the user's fingers. Pressure plates for controlling the variousright and left mouse “clicking” functions are affixed to the glove forpositioning next to the ends of the other of the user's fingers.EP1405161 describes a glove with which a user can interact with acomputer. However, the previous mentioned problems remain. Other devicessimilar to a glove are JP2003015810 and EP1387242.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to solve the previous mentioned problemsand other problems with the previous known stylus. A device according tothe invention is intended to be used for an input of a user interactionon a touch screen of a unit having a data processing capability,characterized of that the device is similar to a working glove, whichworking glove covers a complete hand of a user, where the working glovecomprises a tip for an index finger adapted for input to the touchscreen. The tip of the index finger comprises an element at least partlymade out of a relatively hard polymer. The surface of the tip of theindex finger which is intended to be applied to the touch screen has around shape, alternatively a conical shape, with a diameter less than 3mm in cross section. A device according to the invention may be adaptedto be used in a stock-house or ware-house where the user, in addition tothe previous mentioned input, uses the device for moving and/or packingpackages. Examples of alternative terms for packages are boxes,wrapping, pieces of goods, parcels or tubes. The user may pack them on apallet, a trolley, truck or similar. In a preferred embodiment thedevice is padded with insulation. The tip of the index finger should beadapted to withstand repeated use in freezing temperature.

An advantage with the invention is that the user performs heavy workthat inflicts wear and tear on the device, strokes on the device andforces from squeeze, and with the same device uses it for input to atouch screen. In this manner valuable time is saved when the user goesfrom a work-operation of packing, to a work-operation of performinginput. This compared to previous known technology where the user oftenremoves a glove in order to perform an input operation by means of astylus, such as a pen shaped element, or keeping the glove on with anincreased risk of failing to grip or losing the grip of the stylus. Theinvention is also an improvement compared to the glove like devicesprevious mentioned in the section describing background art which areeither too expensive or unable to manage the wear and tear that comeswith packing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in more detail in connectionwith the enclosed schematic drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overview of a device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a detail resembling a finger-stall, used inan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows an overview of a detail of an embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention. The detail is shaped as a ball of polymerattached to the outside of the finger tip of the glove.

FIG. 4 shows a system comprising a touch screen and a working gloveaccording to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which the grip zones of the glove arecovered with a material with high friction that improves the user'sability to keep the grip of the packages that are handled duringpacking.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A device according the invention can be manufactured in severaldifferent ways, and accordingly several embodiments are possible. FIG. 1shows an example of the device 1 with for the purpose shaped tip of theindex finger. In one embodiment the device is insulated. Such a devicemay comprise several layers of different materials.

FIG. 2 shows a detail of an embodiment where the shaped tip of the indexfinger 3 comprise a detail 4 a similar to a finger-stall made out ofpolymer which is attached to the tip of working glove's index finger 3.The index finger 3 of the working glove may be cut open or in anotherway opened 3a in the tip in order for the top of the detail similar to afinger-stall 4 a to reach through. The top 2 of the detail similar to afinger-stall is intended to be moved against the touch screen and may bein the shape of a half sphere. The top 2 of the detail similar to afinger-stall 4 a may also be in a conical shape.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment where a ball 4 b made of polymer is attachedto the outside of the finger tip of the glove and covered 5 with a softand cold-resistant material. A suitable covering for the finger-tip islatex, or similar material, which material qualities are stable down to−30 degrees Celsius.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a system 8 according to the inventionintended for input of a user interaction to a unit having a dataprocessing capability. The system 8 comprises a touch screen 9 and aworking-glove 10, which covers the complete hand of a user. Theworking-glove has a finger-tip 11 shaped in accordance with the purposeof the invention.

A device 1 according to the invention may in an embodiment be similar toworking-glove and having qualities such as being durable and facilitatefor the user to keep the grip of packages which the user handles duringpacking. In an embodiment 6, shown in FIG. 5, the device has a surfaceor covering at grip-zones 7 that facilitates for the user to, in asecure manner, take a grip of packages, such as boxes, pieces of goodsor similar. A suitable material for the glove is leather and/or materialmade out of textile suitable covering at the grip-zones may include burlor cushion-like attached details.

1. A device (1) for input of a user interaction to a unit with a dataprocessing capability by means of touch screen characterized of that thedevice (1) is entirely or partly similar to a working-glove which coversthe user's entire hand;—that the device (1) has a finger-tip (3) for anindex finger comprising a detail (4 a, 4 b) at least partly made out ofa relatively hard polymer intended to transfer a force from the user'sindex finger to the touch screen; that the area (2) on the finger-tip(3) for the index finger intended to be applied to the touch screen hasa mainly round shape, alternatively a conical shape, with a small crosssection diameter compared to the diameter of the index finger.
 2. Adevice (1) according to claim 1 characterized of that the device isinsulated and by that the insulation is relatively thick.
 3. A device(1) according to claim 1 characterized of that the finger tip (3) of theindex finger comprises a detail (4 a) attached to the inside of theindex finger (3).
 4. A device (1) according to claim 1 characterized ofthat the device comprises a detail in the shape of a ball (4 b) at leastpartly made out of polymer attached to the outside of the finger tip andcovered by a fairly soft and cold-resistant material (5) such as latex.5. A system (8) for input of a user interaction to a unit with a dataprocessing capability characterized of that it comprises a touch screen(9); a working-glove (10) which covers the user's entire hand and has afinger-tip (3) for an index finger comprising a detail (4 a, 4 b) atleast partly made out of a relatively hard polymer, and the area (2) onthe finger-tip (3) for the index finger intended to be applied to thetouch screen has a mainly round shape, alternatively a conical shape,with a small diameter compared to the diameter of the index finger.
 6. Asystem (8) according to claim 5 characterized of that the working-gloveis insulated and the insulation is relatively thick.
 7. A system (8)according to claim 5 characterized of that the finger tip (3) of theindex finger comprises a detail (4 a) attached to the inside of theindex finger (3).
 8. A system (8) according to claim 5 characterized ofthat the working-glove comprises a detail in the shape of a ball (4 b)at least partly made out of polymer attached to the outside of thefinger tip and covered by a fairly soft and cold-resistant material (5)such as latex.
 9. A system (8) according to claim 6 characterized ofthat the finger tip (3) of the index finger comprises a detail (4 a)attached to the inside of the index finger (3).
 10. A system (8)according to claim 6 characterized of that the working-glove comprises adetail in the shape of a ball (4 b) at least partly made out of polymerattached to the outside of the finger tip and covered by a fairly softand cold-resistant material (5) such as latex.
 11. A device (1)according to claim 2 characterized of that the finger tip (3) of theindex finger comprises a detail (4 a) attached to the inside of theindex finger (3).
 12. A device (1) according to claim 2 characterized ofthat the device comprises a detail in the shape of a ball (4 b) at leastpartly made out of polymer attached to the outside of the finger tip andcovered by a fairly soft and cold-resistant material (5) such as latex.